Buoyancy compensator having attached backpack

Abstract

A buoyancy compensator assembly for a diver is provided with a vest having an inner gas impermeable layer adapted to face a wearer and a congruently shaped opposing gas impermeable outer layer. The peripheral edges of the inner and outer layers are sealingly bonded to each other. The vest has an opening through a back portion of the vest. A backpack for removably retaining a longitudinally extending breathing gas tank has a baseplate generally disposed within the opening. Attached to the periphery of the baseplate is an edge. The edge is disposed between and integrally bonded to the inner and outer layers whereby the layers form a chamber to be selectively inflated to adjust the buoyancy of the diver. A restraining sheet is located between and alternately attached to the inner layer and outer layer to form aligned bands. The sheet forces the inner layer to curve inward about the sides of the diver when the chamber is inflated. The backpack is constructed so that when the breathing gas tank is strapped onto the backpack the baseplate curves to fit about the back of the diver.

I claim: 
     
       1. A buoyancy compensator assembly comprising: a vest having a first gas impermeable layer adapted to face a wearer and a congruently shaped opposing gas impermeable second layer, said first and second layers being sealingly bonded to each other about the peripheral edges thereof, said vest forming an opening through at least said second layer in a back portion of said vest;   a backpack having retaining means for removably retaining a breathing gas tank, said backpack having a baseplate attached to said retaining means and generally disposed within said opening; and   an edge attached to and extending about the periphery of said baseplate, said edge being disposed within said opening between said first and said second layer and integrally and sealingly bonded to said first layer and to a peripheral edge of said opening of at least said second layer, said first and said second layers and said baseplate edge defining an inflatable chamber.   
     
     
       2. The compensator assembly of claim 1 further including restraining means disposed between and alternately attached to said first and second layers at attachment bands for curving said first layer about the sides of the wearer of the vest when said chamber is inflated, wherein said attachment bands of said restraining means on said first layer are staggered horizontally with respect to said attachment bands of said second layer. 
     
     
       3. The compensator assembly of claim 1 wherein said baseplate has an inner surface opposite from said retaining means, said inner surface being generally planar when said backpack is in a relaxed position, said retaining means including means for causing a lateral curvature of said inner surface when a tank of breathing gas is secured to said backpack. 
     
     
       4. The compensator assembly of claim 1 wherein said edge is integrally bonded to said first and second layers by RF welding. 
     
     
       5. The compensator assembly of claim 1 wherein said vest includes a first exterior layer and a congruently shaped second exterior layer, said first exterior layer and said second exterior layer enclosing said first layer and said second layer. 
     
     
       6. The compensator assembly of claim 5 wherein said first exterior layer is bonded to said first layer to form an inner lining and said second exterior layer is bonded to said second layer to form an outer lining. 
     
     
       7. The compensator assembly of claim 1 wherein said baseplate is longitudinally elongated and has an inner surface facing the back of a user and curving means attached to said baseplate for laterally curving said inner surface when the tank is secured to said baseplate. 
     
     
       8. The compensator assembly of claim 7 wherein said curving means includes a pair of supports attached to and extending outward along a portion of the lateral sides of said baseplate, said supports configured to contact the sides of a frontal portion of the tank opposite said baseplate and to position the tank to form a clearance between said tank and said baseplate, and means contacting said baseplate for drawing said tank toward said baseplate to reduce said clearance. 
     
     
       9. A scuba diving backpack for use with a buoyancy compensator for removably securing a tank of breathing gas thereto, said backpack comprising: a longitudinally elongated baseplate having an inner surface facing the back of a user; and   curving means attached to said baseplate for laterally curving said inner surface when the tank is secured to said baseplate.   
     
     
       10. The backpack of claim 9 wherein said curving means includes; a pair of supports attached to and extending outward along a portion of the lateral sides of said baseplate, said supports configured to contact the sides of a frontal portion of the tank opposite said baseplate and to position the tank to form a clearance between said tank and said baseplate, and   means contacting said baseplate for drawing said tank toward said baseplate to reduce said clearance.   
     
     
       11. A buoyancy compensator for a diver comprising: at least one air bladder for receiving gas, said bladder including a first gas impermeable lining opposite a second gas impermeable lining; and   restraining means disposed between said first lining and said second lining and attached to said first lining and said second lining for curving said first lining about the sides of the diver, said restraining means including a sheet, said sheet being alternately attached to said first lining and said second lining to form at least three generally aligned attachment bands.   
     
     
       12. The compensator of claim 11 wherein said bands include a pair of outer bands attached to said second lining and at least one band intermediate to said outer bands and connected to said first lining. 
     
     
       13. The compensator of claim 12 wherein said bands include an odd number of intermediate bands alternatingly attached to said first lining and said second lining, with said intermediate bands adjacent to said outer bands attached to said first lining. 
     
     
       14. The compensator of claim 13 wherein the distance between adjacent bands of said intermediate and said outer bands is generally equal. 
     
     
       15. The compensator of claim 13 wherein said first lining is attached to said second lining to form at least one peripheral edge, at least a segment of said peripheral edge being generally aligned with at least one of said outer attachment bands. 
     
     
       16. A buoyancy compensator for removably securing a tank of breathing gas and conforming about the back and sides of a diver, said buoyancy compensator comprising: a vest which fits about the back and sides of a diver, said vest including at least one air bladder for receiving gas, said bladder including a first gas impermeable lining opposite a second gas impermeable lining, and restraining means disposed between said first and second linings and attached to said first and second linings for curving said first lining about the sides of the diver; and   a backpack attached to said vest for removably securing the tank of breathing gas, said backpack including a longitudinally elongated baseplate having an inner surface facing the back of the diver and means attached to said baseplate for laterally curving said inner surface when the tank is removably secured to said baseplate.   
     
     
       17. The buoyancy compensator of claim 16 wherein said vest includes a back portion forming an opening through at least said first lining, said base plate being located in said opening and attached to a peripheral edge thereof, said edge being disposed between and integrally bonded to said first lining and said second lining. 
     
     
       18. The buoyancy compensator of claim 16 wherein said restraining means includes at least one sheet, said sheet being alternately attached in a corrugated configuration to said first lining and said second lining to form at least three aligned attachment bands. 
     
     
       19. The buoyancy compensator of claim 16 wherein said curving means includes a pair of supports attached to and extending outward along a portion of the lateral sides of said baseplate, said supports configured to contact the sides of a frontal portion of the tank opposite said baseplate and to position the tank to form a clearance between said tank and said baseplate, and means contacting said baseplate for drawing said tank toward said baseplate to reduce said clearance. 
     
     
       20. The buoyancy compensator of claim 19 wherein said drawing means includes a strap circumscribing the tank and threaded through said baseplate, said backpack including biasing means for displacing the tank away from said baseplate after the tank has been drawn toward said baseplate and upon slackening of said strap. 
     
     
       21. A buoyancy compensator assembly comprising: a vest having a first gas impermeable layer adapted to face a wearer and a congruently shaped opposing gas impermeable second layer, said first and second layers being sealingly bonded to each other about the peripheral edges thereof, said vest forming an opening through at least said second layer in a back portion of said vest;   a backpack having retaining means for removably retaining a breathing gas tank, said backpack having a baseplate attached to said retaining means and generally disposed within said opening, said baseplate having an inner surface opposite from said retaining means, said inner surface being generally planar when said backpack is in a relaxed position, said retaining means including means for causing a lateral curvature of said inner surface when a tank of breathing gas is secured to said backpack; and   an edge attached to and extending about the periphery of said baseplate, said edge being disposed between said first and said second layers and integrally bonded to said first and second layers, said first and said second layers forming an inflatable chamber.   
     
     
       22. The compensator assembly of claim 21 wherein said edge is disposed within said opening between said first and second layers and is integrally and sealingly bonded to a peripheral edge of an opening in said first layer and said peripheral edge of said opening of said second layer to define an inflatable chamber. 
     
     
       23. The compensator assembly of claim 21 wherein said means for causing a lateral curvature includes a pair of supports attached to and extending outward along a portion of the lateral sides of said baseplate, said supports configured to contact the sides of a frontal portion of the tank opposite said baseplate and to position the tank to form a clearance between said tank and said baseplate, and means contacting said baseplate for drawing said tank toward said baseplate to reduce said clearance.